Never Alone
by Calla Wright
Summary: When Gendry brings word of his departure, Arya finds her own way to say goodbye. Spoiler free for Season 2: One-shot for now but may continue with fluff in future.


"Arya, wait!" he called from behind as she stormed away. It was always Gendry, Gendry, Gendy; the source of her troubles, the boy with no brain. And yet it was Gendry who stayed with her, Gendry who understood, who was loyal, who was _different. _But now he was leaving her, just like so many others she'd known. It occurred to her that the reason she fled wasn't because she was angry with him. It was because she couldn't bear to have him see the tears she shed over losing someone else she loved.

"Arya-" He had caught her off guard, ran up behind her and grabbed her wrist to hold her back.

"Oh just _leave me alone, Gendry!" _she cried, hiding her face but he wouldn't let go.

"Listen to me, I need you to listen." he said, and she could hear the tension in his voice. For a moment she wondered if this decision was paining him as well, but that was nonsense. She might not consider herself a lady, but she knew for a fact that he did, and the one thing they both knew was that highborns do not marry peasants. The fact that he was a bastard just made it worse. His fingers still held tight around her wrist, squeezing her so hard it almost pained her but she still wouldn't look at him. She had to have some restraint.

"Arya," he said desperately, the crack in his voice nearly killing her. "_please._" he begged.

She didn't mean to look, but it was the "please" that had done it for her. She turned her head to face him and once she did it she could not look away. His face, still covered in dirt and grime, was open. He seemed to torn with himself that she could almost believe he regretted his decision for leaving, and those eyes... a grey so pure they reminded her of home. _Winterfell_... she thought, how she longed for it now after the long months she had spent away. She could barely recall the sight of it but now as she gazed into Gendry's eyes, she felt more at home then she ever had anywhere since she left. Taking a step back to regain her footing, she felt her back hit the side of one of the sheds set up in the yard, realizing briefly that he had cornered her and there were no means of escape. He was closer than he'd ever dared come near to her before; she could feel his breath on her face, his gaze holding hers.

_This is ridiculous _a side of her told herself, the voice in her head sounding strangely similar to Septa Mordane. _He's a blacksmith of bastard birth. You are a Stark of Winterfell. This isn't meant to be, and besides, you're like a child to him. He wouldn't want you anyway._

The words cut her like knives but suddenly Gendry spoke and his voice seemed to heal her.

"I know you're angry," he said, dropping his gaze to his shoes in shame, his fingers loosening around her wrist. "but I won't be gone long. We come to this place all the time." he said, gesturing to the castle around them, his eyes roaming the stone walls. "I'll be back often, back here to visit-"

"Do you really think I would stay _here?" _she spat, her words coming out harsher than she meant. He looked taken aback at her tone and she immediately regretted it. The last thing she wanted right now was him to get angry with her, or worse; to hurt his feelings. "You know me Gendry." she said, her voice softer this time, some of her exhaustion seeping into it. "You know I never stay."

"I just thought..." he started, struggling for words. "Maybe until you're ready to go home?"

"_What _home?" she said, feeling a sudden warmth on her face. Cursing herself, she reached up to wipe the tear away angrily before he could notice, but it was too late. His brow creased in that thoughtful expression she had come to know well. Except this time there was a deepness behind it she'd never seen before.

"You're crying." he said softly, dropping her hand completely and leaning in to get a good look at her. "You never cry. Why are you crying?"

She couldn't take it much longer. The castle, the tears, Gendry's beautiful eyes watching her with such concern. _What home? _she'd asked him, but here she was with her own answer. _This home, _she thought to herself. _He is my home now. _

Without thinking, she forced her eyes to face him so their gazes met head on. When he didn't look away, her heart beat all the faster.

"Arya?" he asked, his lips just inches away from hers, his eyes distracted with worry.

"Stupid." she whispered, before reaching out towards him and taking his face in her hands, pulling him in to close the gap and kissing him, hard, on the mouth. She felt him start at her touch, but his surprise only triggered for a second before she let her eyes close and was lost in the warmth of him; of his taste and the softness of his mouth; how fine his hair felt beneath her fingers and the second before she released him that she thought she felt him kiss her back.

It was over as quickly as it had began.

Dropping her hands from him face, she backed into the wall behind her to separate their lips, her chest heaving from the moment. His expression, once focused into view, was unreadable. At first she swore she saw shock, but only for a moment. Now all he did was stare. Not at her chest. Not at her lips. At her eyes. Arya saw home once more and knew that no matter what would happen after that day, that she would never regret kissing him. She'd never forget the warmth that spread inside her whenever he looked at her that way. How could she, when he was her first love.

Now he stared at her, and she felt herself cooling by the second. He did not speak, barely blinked even. She could not think of what to say, so she started with a name.

"Gendry, I-"

She didn't have time to finish. He stepped forwards, closing the gap between them and meeting her lips for a second him with his own, cutting off her sentence. She gasped underneath them just as one of his hands come up to cradle the back of her head while he kissed her passionately. A coil of heat seemed to stir inside her belly, causing her to let out a whimper of pleasure at the feeling of his skin against hers, flesh on flesh, lips on lips. His hand was stroking her hair as he kissed her, breaking every few seconds to catch little gasps of air.

"Gendy-" she said, trying to get his attention during one of them but he cut her off again, placing his other hand on the shed beside her head as if to steady himself. His lips were like fire and she was the dragon, breathing the flames and basking in them. They were everywhere and together all at once, so she couldn't help it when her arms snaked up to tighten around his neck, pulling him closer to further deepen the kiss.

"Arya..." she heard him whisper at one point between kisses, and that was enough for her to pull away momentarily. They both gasped for air when it was broken, their foreheads resting against each other's, eyes half hooded in desire. For an instant, the air was heavy with silence- unspoken words lingering around them like willow-the-wisps from Old Nan's stories.

"Why were you crying?" Gendry whispered, pressing his lips to her cheek softly where her tear had left a track in the dirt. Her breathing was heavy as his lips moved downward to worship her neck, and her voice came out shakily.

"I- I don't want you to leave." she whispered, just as he pulled away to look at her. _Those eyes..._ she thought to herself just as the truth came spilling out.

"I can't stand the thought of not having you here." she whimpered, hating herself for sounding so weak. "I need you, Gendry. I... I love you."

"Arya Stark." he whispered to her, her name sounding better than it ever had before on his tongue. "I will never leave you." he said, leaning in to start a new kiss just like the new beginning they would face together. She could barely believe what she was hearing.

"Say it again." she sighed against his lips, her stress seeming to melt away as she let him kiss her.

"I will never leave you, Arya Stark. I love you too much for that." he smiled, holding her tight to his chest as they kissed for what would be one out of many a time to come. For whatever the war and Westeros would throw at them, at least they would still have each other.


End file.
